📖 Among the Barons

"Among the Barons" by Margaret Peterson Haddix is the fourth title in the series "Shadow Children". The story starts in a school named "Hendricks School for Boys," which gave shelter to third children(in a world where the government killed them). The main character is Lee Grant(whose name is really Luke Gardener), a boy who attends the school. He obtained his fake ID from a deceased Baron named Lee Grant, whose wealthy family donated his identity to Luke. Once again, he is sent into danger and uncertainty as his "younger brother" Smits (who is the real Lee's brother) arrives at the school along with his huge bodyguard Oscar, who carries a sledgehammer. That's not it, though, as the Grants, who are really one of the most powerful families in the country, plan to take Smits, along with Luke, back to their home! At their house, Luke now needs to act like he's Grant's son (he is illegal after all), since many servants and maids inside the house could report Luke. Later, the Grants revealed they brought Luke back to their home since they wanted to fake Luke's death and send him back into hiding in order not to get caught by the government for faking someone's ID. Even more confusing, though, the bodyguard Oscar revealed he worked in an underground resistance(those who opposed the government for killing third children), he wanted to fake Smits' death too to make the deaths of both Lee and Smits suspicious(so the Grants would be arrested). I recommended this book because it shows you shouldn't put others in danger just for you to get something beneficial.

《男爵之间》,作者玛格丽特·彼得森·哈迪克斯,是《影子孩子》系列的第四本书。故事开头发生在一所名为"亨德里克斯男子学校"的地方,这里收留了"第三个孩子"(在一个政府会杀死第三个孩子的世界中)。主人公是李·格兰特(他的真实名字是卢克·加德纳),一个就读于这所学校的男孩。他的假身份来自一个已故的男爵——李·格兰特,这个富有的家族将李的身份"捐赠"给了卢克。 不久后,卢克再次被推入危险与不确定中,因为李的"弟弟"史密茨(真正的李的弟弟)带着巨大的保镖奥斯卡来到学校,而奥斯卡随身携带一把大铁锤。更复杂的是,格兰特家族——全国最有权势的家族之一——打算把史密茨和卢克一起带回家!在格兰特家里,卢克必须伪装成格兰特的儿子(毕竟他是非法的),因为家里有很多仆人和女佣可能会举报他。 后来,格兰特家族透露他们带卢克回家,是为了伪造卢克的"死亡",并把他重新送回隐藏之处,以免因伪造身份而被政府发现。更让人困惑的是,保镖奥斯卡竟然揭露自己是地下反抗组织的一员(那些反对政府杀害第三个孩子的人),他甚至想伪造史密茨的死亡,使得李和史密茨的死都显得可疑,从而让格兰特家族被捕。 我推荐这本书,因为它告诉我们:你不应该为了自己得到好处,而把别人置于危险之中。